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City electric rates to take some regular hikes in coming years

By Jan SchultzThe Imperial Republican Further study is being done on the city’s electric rates, but one thing’s for certain, they will be rising. City council members received a study report from the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool (NMPP) at their June 24 meeting, which proposes upping the rates for all electric utility customers. New rates will go into effect Oct. 1. For all users, the NMPP proposals suggest a 4.8% average increase each of the next four years, for a 20% hike total after four years. The study then recommends another 4.85% yearly increase in each of the next three years. City Public Works Supt. Pat Davison said those are the NMPP recommendations, but electric sales depend largely on the weather. With June’s cooler weather and a lot of rain, those utilities have not sold a lot so far this summer, he told council members. And, cost increases being passed down from Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN), Imperial’s major power supplier, are significant.

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